Visible card index



2, 1933. J. 1.. GARFIELD 1,923,366

VISIBLE CARD INDEX Filed Aug. 9. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Aug. 22,1933 burr STATES" since 1 PATE T My invention relates to a visible cardindex of which the cards "have individual hinge suspensions adjacent asuitable support or panel, the hinging of the cards making both sidesthere- 5 of accessible for reading or writing without card removal fromthe panel or other support and the.

hinging of the record sheets upon. the stubs of the cards beingdesirably uniformly'spaced along the face of the support so as to makethe record sheets normally overlap one another upon the face of thesupport and disclose index margins at their lower edges. 1

A purpose of my invention is to provide, a cardv index of the characterindicated in which any record sheet normally adapted to lie fiat on thesupport can not only be turned up for examination but can be heldresiliently in this position.

The record sheets are hinged to the stubs ator near the upperedges ofthe cards and in'nor 2O nial position preferably lie flat, overlappingone another upon the surface of the support. They can be turned fiatover on their hinges to permit full use of the under sides.

A further purposeis to hinge an index'record Z5 sheet along one or moreportionsof its width to a support and to provide the sheet along one ormore other portions or its width with what for convenience. are herecalled extensionsor heels projecting beyond the line of the hingeadapted to engage and spring past the adjacent face of the support whenthe card is turned upwardly beyond the erpendicular. The cooperatingengagement between the said extensions or heels and the support preventthe card from returning to its normal position unless forced downward soas again to spring the extensions past the support thereby to permit thesheet to lie again in its normal position. y

A further'purpose is to hinge a record sheet to a stub mounted upon asupport and to snap the record sheet across a position perpendicular tothe support against the resilience of the card so that the sheet willbe, retained in itsexisting range of positions on one side of theperpendicular or the other unless and until it has been snapped orsprung into the otherrange of positions.

A further purpose is to alternate spring engaging andhinging portions ofa record sheet across the width of a card, the spring engaging portionsbeing adapted to engage and spring past the surface of a support whilethe sheet is being turnedup about its hinge line.

to that of Figure 6 except that there isa different sheets hinged uponopposite sides of the stub and to adapt one or both of the sheets tospring retention in positions on opposite sides of the perpendicular toa. support.

A further purpose is to provide a composite card having an intermediatestubto engage a support and binge connections along opposite.

sides with two record sheets, each of which carries an extension acrossthe hinge line as in my other forms. I

A further purpose'is to anchor the stubs of supported cardsbeneath thestubs of adjoining cards.

A further purpose is to interlink the stubs of adjoining cards fastenedto a. support, and .to utilize the combined spring of their stubs to 7hold the record'sheet of one of the cards in raised position withrespect to the support.

A further purpose. is to attach card stubs to a card supportbytabsextending longitudinally of thelength of the stub, and :to interlinkthe stubs with the adjoining stubs of other cards i by tongues extendinglaterally with respect to the stubs. v p

Further purposes will appear in -the specifica- .80 tion and in theclaims.

. I have elected to show a few only of the many different forms of myinvention selecting forms from the standpoint particularly that thesewell illustrate the principles involved.

Figurel is a perspective View illustrating card index structureembodying a desirable form of my invention. v f

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical section to enlarged-scale upon theline 2-2 ofFigure 1 and to be considered somewhat diagrammatic Figure 3is a plan view showing one of the cards of Figure 1.- 9

Figure 4 is an end view of Figure 3. p

Figure 5 isa front elevation of Figure 3 showinghowever ap'ortion of asupportnot shown in Figure 3. V

Figure 6 is a plan view showing an unmounted double card. V

Figure '7 is an end elevation of Figure 6 showing in dot-and-dash oneofthe record sheets turned over and downward to its normal position uponthe other record sheet. W

Figure 8 shows a double card generally similar 105 form of tab forconnection to the support.

Figure 9 is a view generally similar to Figure 3 but showing a somewhatdifferent form of card. H A further purpose is to provide a double, cardhaving an intermediate stub and outer record Figure ljdisaplanview ofadoubl'e card gen- 11 0 eraIIysirnilar to the single "card of'Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a plan view of a single card having a somewhat differentform of tab for connection with support.

Figure 12 is a front elevation of Figure 11 showing also a portion ofthe support.

Figure 13 is a desirable form of single card; in which the hinge andholding extensions alternate across the card width.

Figure 14 is a fragmentary view illustrating that the cards and hingeconnection with the support may be separate, the cards being removablymounted upon the stub.

Figure 15 is a front elevation of a support for the double cardstructure of Figure 14. a

Figure 16 is a plan view of one of many different forms of support.

Figure 17 is a section taken upon the line, 17-17 of Figure 16. I

Figure 18 is a fragmentary perspective View illustrating another form ofmy invention.

Figure 19 is a section along the-line 19-49 of Figure 18.

Like numerals refer to like: parts in all figures.

Describing in illustration and not in limitation and referring to thedrawings:

As seen in Figure 1, my visible index includes a flat support, here apanel 20 and overlapping cards hinged to the panel.

-' Each card includes a record sheet 21 hinged to.

one or more stub portions comprising a stub 22. The hinge is seen at 23.

The stubs are secured to the face of the support and the record sheet isadapted to' receive records upon bothsides, to fold upwardly at thehinge 23 and, by reason of my invention to stand up of'itself whenturned upwardfrom its normal position to a point sumcientlybeyond theperpendicular. 1

In normal positions the record sheets are considered for convenience ofreference as hanging downwardly from the stubs so that what will becalled the inner face of each record sheet overlaps-the outer face ofthe record sheet'under it.

The stub 22 which fastens against the face'of the support may compriserelatively short and alined strips near opposite sides of the card as inFigures 1 and 3 or-may. comprise strips across the full rearward widthof the card as in Figures 9 and 13, but in either event the record sheethas one or more portions 24 that extend inwardly somewhat across thehinge line. a

When the record sheet is raised, the inner edge of the extension 24swings-downwardly about the hinge line and engages the face of thesupport or panel, first resisting the upward movement of the card andthen springing past the center line along the face of the support. Theposition past the center (that is past a perpendicular from the hingeline to the engaged surface of the support) causes the extensions now toengage the support to resist lowering of the card to its normal positionparallel to the face of the support unless the card is forced downward.

The stub 22 of the card may fasten to the supportv in'many differentways, each of which may perhaps'be preferable according to circumstance.I prefer a tab and slot connection between the stub and the support. Asshown, tabs 25 upon the stubs turn down and enter slots 26 of thesupport.

In'Figures 1 and 3 the tabs 25 are directed outwardly and are spacedinwardly from the outer edges of the stubs. They enter oppositelydirected folds 27 upon opposite sides of a support 28. This support isdesirably constructed 7 from sheet metal folded upwardly at the sidesfor any desired portion of the length of the support so as to present,the inwardly directed slots 26 to receive the tabs of the cards.

This type ofsupport permits the cards to be moved along the support andalso permits them to be very quickly and easily inserted by suitablybending the tabs inwardly and inserting them into slots as seen inFigure 5. They can-also be removed very readily.

Figure 2 is a partially diagrammatic fragmentary view drawn to greatlyenlarged scale corresponding to a section upon the line 22 of Figure 1.

, The card 21 has been turned up about the hinge 23 beyond theperpendicular from the normal position shown in dot-and-dash, theextension 24 moving downwardly as the card moves up, engaging theupwardly directed face of the support 20 and springing along this facepast the hinge line when the card has been turned some little distancebeyond the perpendicular. x

The full line showing of the card indicates the .position thereof afterit'has retracted somewhat downwardly -(counterclockwise) to or near theperpendicular, where it has been stopped from furthermovement by theextension 24 engaging the face of the support.

My invention is. applicable to double cards as well as to single cards.Figures 3, 9, 11 and 13 illustrate single cards and Figures 6, 8,10 and14 show double cards. I

In the double cards two record sheets 21 have hinge connection with acommon stub 22' and extensions 24 and 24' pass inwardly across therespective hinge lines for service in holding the record sheets innormal or in raised position.

The stubof each card is fastenedto the support and the hinge lines 23and 23' are spaced from one another on opposite sides of the tabs 25which connect to the support.

The record sheets are adapted to fold together and may be of the same orvariant lengths;--for 1 example the upper record sheet may be'made thesame length as the lower record sheet when each sheet is to beindividually indexed on its margin, or may be longer than the lowersheet by an amount equal to the width of the stub when the two sheetsare to be a unitwith asingle marginal index. The outer edges of thesheets may normally come together or be in spaced relation according topreference or circumstance.

If the lower edge of the upper record sheet normally folds down uponthelower edge of the lower sheet the index notation is made upon thedisclosed lower marginon the upper sheet of every doublev card, theupper and lower sheets then normally lying together and together formingan index unit, while if the two sheets are of the same length the lowersheet will extend a marginal distance beyond the edge of the uppersheet, each sheet of the double card in effect then forming the recordsheet of a single index card.

The tab connections at 25 Figure 6 are generally similar to those shownin Figure 3.

Figure 8 shows a double card like that of Figure 6 except that the tabe25 are cut inwardly from the outside edges of the card instead of beingspaced inwardly from the edges Each record sheet extends at 24 and 24'across the hinge line 23.

The card shown in Figure 9 is generally similar to that shown in Figure3 except that the hinge line 23 is spaced from the tabs 25 while inFigure I 3 it is along one edge of the tabs.

The extensions 24 for holding the card up are sheared clear of thestub,and, desirab1y,the stub is suitably cut away along the edge of theextension, in order to provide adequate clearance be-' tween the record sheetand stub whenthe record sheet is turning upward. ihis is illustrated at30,

Figure 10. v Figure 10 shows a double card similar to the single card ofFigure 9, in that the hinge linesare spaced some little distance fromthe tabs 25 that serve to fasten the stub to thesupport.

- In Figures 3 to 10 the tabs 25 have beendirected outwardly. Obviouslyhowever they may be directedinwardly as illustrated at 25 in Figures 11and 12, it being somewhat a matter of preference as to whether the tabsare directed inwardly or outwardly, the inwardly directed tabs beingshown in Figure 12 seating in outwardly directed folds .31 of a metalsupport 32 having double upward folds alongopposite sides.

Figure 13 shows a desirable form of. card .in which numerous hingeportions 23 and extensions 24 alternate across the width of the card.

. I show the inner edge of the stub recessed at 33 opposite theextensions 24 in order to provide clearance from the extensions of anadjacent card, as best seen in Figure 1 where the convex extension 24engages the face of the support in the concaved recess 33. Theserecesses are also shown in Figure 13. V

It will be understood that the recesses 33. while desirable, are notnecessary, asthe engagement of the extension 24 may be uponthe top ofthe next lower card.

I usually prefer to make the stubs and record sheets of the index cardintegral, but, as illustrated in Figure 14, may make them separate,providing separate stubs for fastening to the support. and record sheetsremovably mounted on the stubs.

In Figure l l he assembly includes hinge holding portions 22 towardopposite ends of the lines of hinging and stubs 21' hinging to oppositesides of the holders 22, with extensions 24 from'the stubs inwardlyacross the lines of hinging and tabs25 on the holders 22 for connectingthe-assembly to the support. r

The record sheets fasten in any suitable way to the outer edges of thestubs 21 for example by suitable spring tabs 39 formed with a hook attheir end, and located towards opposite ends of the card holderembracing the inwardly directed edge of the card and hooking intosuitable perforations 40 of the card.

Obviously the tabs 25 may fasten in any suitable way to the seating ineither inwardly or outwardly directed hooks as shown in Figures 5 and 12respectively, or as illustrated in Figures 16 and 17, where the tabsextend through a slot 34 intflat plate 35 and bend over in either diretion and, optionally fasten to the back of the plate.

I adapt the record sheet to hinge withrespect to the stub by scoring orperforating on the line of hinging, or in-any other suitable way, and Imay make the score lines double as indicated at 23 Figure 10 in order toprovide a more easy turn.

I show in Figure 1.0 the double scoring upon the upper side only of thestub,'because theupper record sheet normally lies further from thesurface of the support than the lower record sheet, by a distance equalto the thickness of one card, but I may provide both or either of thehinge lines with double scoring or single, scoring ac cording tocircumstance.

While my invention as thus far describedis fully. operative I may secureadditional anchorage, for each card stub, and i at the same time addresilience from the spring of the next stub, by the use of tongues 36,which are struck out from the stub of each card and bent back to lieunder and engage thestub of the next adjoining card,.preferably neareach end of the stub.

These tongues 36 are shown in the fragmentary perspectiveview of Figure18 and the section of Figure 19. l g

Their position with respect to the nextcard is shown in the fragmentarysection of Figure 19 upon line 19-19 in Figure 18. The tongues can becutfrom and used with the stub of a double card as well as the stubof asingle card.

From Figure 18 it will be seenthat each'stub is thus anchored to thestub next adjoining so that the effect of lifting 'theoard, in upwardlyspringing the stub of that card by engagement of extension 24 with thesupport face 20, will communicate part of the movement of the stubwhich. has been sprung to the next stub, lifting the next one and anyothers affected if the lifting be high enough, and correspondinglyutilizing the elasticity of the'several stubs forthe benefit of therecord sheet which (has been lifted.

In operation each card acts independently in so far as its anchorage tothe support is concerned, and in the cooperation betweenthe spring ofthis card andthe spring of the stub of the next adjoining card. Theanchorage of. each card to the stub of the next card causes the stub ofthe next card necessarily to be lifted slightly when the card is turnedup, adding the spring of the next stub to the spring ofthe side lugs 25in resisting the movement of the card, both in lifting and in lowering.This additional fastening of the card tothe stub of the next cardrelieves the outwardly directed-stubs 25 from part" ing of theindividual. stubs by reason of turning movement of the record sheetextensions of their own cards, interlinkage of the stubs with the stubsofadjoining cards, where, used, causesthe adjoining stubs also to besprung, along with the stubs attached to the raised record sheets,giving added stub resilienceto oppose the swinging movement of theextension, and to hold the extension in position when it has beenswungbeyond the perpendicular. 1

:The lateral, interlinkage of thestub of one card with the stub of thenext adjoining card by a reversely bent tongue is of benefit not only.in adding the resilience of the additional stubs as indicated, but alsoin holding the stubs more firmly in their relativepositions and inpreventing sawing of one stub or card by the next.

I usually prefer to mount the cards so that their stubsare insubstantial juxtaposition and flat against the face of the support, thestubs of successive cards then substantially filling aconsiderable'length of the support with little or no intermediate spacebetween the edges of the. stubs of adjoining cards, but this is a matterof preference and thecards may be variantly spaced along themount. i Imay desirably employ extensions 24 whose lower ends are slightlyconvexed, so that as the extensions contact upon the surface of thesupport it is more certain that the middle of the extension willtouch'the support. This is shown in Figure 18;,.Even when the loweredges of the dicular to the surface.

suming an appearance similar to 24 in Figure 18.

When desiring to write upon the reverse side of any card, that cardandall of the cards above it are turned up and .over flat against thesupport, being held to place during writing.

When the handis removed fromthese cards, the cards move back topositions nearly perpendicularto the face of the support, where theyremain standing up,in view of the engagements between the extensions 24and the surface of the support. v v

, When desiring to read the record portion of any card the overlappingcards are turned up'to the position shown in-Figu're 1,?the cardadjacent to the exposed card standing'up and supporting the higher cardsfrom moving down, as indicated in Figure 1.

. In'view of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications tomeet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident toothers skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of myinvention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claimall such in so far as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scopeof myinvention.

Having thus described. my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: 1

'1. A support for a series of cards, a card comprising a record sheetand stubs hinged thereto along a common line, means fastening the stubsto the support, and extensions from the record sheet projecting inwardlybeyond'the line of hinging adapted to engage and spring past the supportwhen the record sheet is turned up with respect to the stub beyondpositions perpen- 2. A card comprising an intermediate stub and recordsheets having hinge. connection to opposite sides of the stub, incombination with a support, means fastening the. stub to the support,and inward extensions from the record sheets across their hinge linesadapted toengage and spring past the surfaceof the support when therecord sheets are turned up. about their hinge lines. T

'3, In a visible card index,a card support, a plurality of cards,-eachhaving a stub and a record sheet hinged together, and inward extensions.from the record sheets at intervals across the hinge line and the inneredges of the stubs being recessed opposite the extensions and meansfastening the stubs successively-to the support. 4. A support for aplurality of cards, a card thereon comprising a stub and 'a record sheethinged to the stub, a tab connection-between the stub and support, and aplurality of extensions of the record sheet beyond the hinge line and onopposite sides of the tab connection. 5. A support for a plurality ofcards, a card comprising a stub, and a record sheet hinged to the stub,tab connections betweenthestub and support toward opposite ends of thestub, and a plurality'of extensions of therecordsheet beyond the hingeline and between the spaced tab connections. I

6. Asupport for-a plurality of cards, a card comprising a stub and arecord "sheet hinged 'to the stub; spaced tabs fastening .the stub tothe support, and a plurality of extensions of the record sheetbeyond thehinge line and on opposite sides of the support-engaging tabs.

7. A card'support and a series of cards, each card comprising a stub anda record sheet hinged together, tab and seat "connections between thegether, tab and slot connections between the support and'stubspresenting the cards at the lines of hinging individually. adjacent .aface of the support, and an extension from each record sheet across itsline of hinging to engage and spring on the said face when the sheet isturned up with respect to the face.

9. A card support, a series of cards, each card comprising a stub and arecord sheet hinged together, means fastening the stub to the supportpresenting the card at its line of hinging adjacent a face of thesupport and an extension from each record sheet inwardly across its.line of hinging and the said means including reversely directed tabs onthe stub, and cooperating re versely directed seats on the support.

'10. A card support,"a series of cards held by the support, each cardcomprising a stub and a record sheet hinged together, the supportexposing a flat surface adjacent the line of hinging, connectionsbetween the stub and the support, and an extension of the record sheetrearwardly beyond the hinge adapted to engage the surface of the supportand to snap along it when the sheet swings past a positionperpendicular'to the said surface.

11. A card support exposing a contacting surface, a series of cards heldby the support, each card comprising a stub and a record sheet hingedtogether, means fastening the stub to the support including outwardlydirected tabs on the stub in cooperating inwardly directed seatspresented by the support, and an extension from the record sheet acrossthe line of hinging adapted to engage and'spring along the surface ofthe support when the record sheet is turned up with respect to the saidsurface. '12. In a visible index, a support, together with a stub and acard holder, hinge connection between the stub and card holder, and anextension from the card holder inward across the hinge line swingingwith the card holder during hinging, in combination with means fasteningthe stub to the support and 'a card removably fastened to the cardholder.

13. In a visible index, a support, together with a stub and cardholders, the card holders hinged to opposite sides of the stub andhaving inward extensions across the hinge lines swinging with the cardholders in hinging, means fastening the stub to the support and cardsremovably fastened to'the card holders.

14. A support for cards having provisions for the receipt of card tabs,a plurality of card stubs, having tabs on the stubs oppositely directedand adapted to engage with the support, record for movement away fromthe support.

15. In a visible index card system, a support therefor having stubssecured to the support close to each other and record sheets, one hingedto each stub, extensions from the record sheets beyond the hinge lineengaging the support to spring the stubs laterally with respect to thesupport when the record sheets are swinging on their stubs and. aprojection from the one stub engaging the other stub to interlock withit and carry the upon the support and a tongue out from one stub andbent back laterally upon the stub and interlocking with the other stub.7

JAMES LYON GARFIELD.

